Comments on: The World’s First Sustainable Parking Structure

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 22:03:26 +0000

I’ve driven by this building many times not even knowing what it is. Upon doing a little research, I’ve discovered that the city has big plans for that Civic Center Area. They also plan to retrofit and replace the six structures in downtown Santa Monica. In other words, more parking was needed somewhere.

I understand the contradiction here, but try telling all the business owners that nobody will have a place to park for a while. Whether we like it or not, most people in LA (especially those with disposable income) drive their own cars. If we HAVE to have a parking structure, it might as well be “green”. Besides, haven’t you noticed how boring and smelly the downtown lots are?

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:16:03 +0000

While I agree that the whole concept of a “sustainable carpark” is an absurdity, I think the building itself looks pretty good. Mind you, while I agree with him on issues of sustainability and urban planning, I don’t share Kunstler’s distaste for modernist architecture.

By: Angus Grieve-Smith

Angus Grieve-Smith — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:04:57 +0000

Green oil spills, I love it, Mork! Maybe they can also install solar panels on depleted strip mine sites and chopped-down rainforests.

By: mork

mork — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 15:02:01 +0000

This is great. Also, whenever there’s an oil spill, they should also immediately retrofit the broken tanker ship with solar panels.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:44:05 +0000

And this isn’t the only garage in Santa Monica, it’s just the fanciest looking. There are a whole 10 parking structures in the downtown area, and if each cost this much, or even $20 million each, that’s already something like half of cost of the light rail line that is getting built to Santa Monica. And the point of all those parking garages? For people to be able to come and walk around on Santa Monica’s quite popular pedestrian mall, the Third Street Promenade.

By: Angus Grieve-Smith

Angus Grieve-Smith — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:07:42 +0000

At first I was kind of shaking my head and chuckling something about L.A., but I thought it was a privately funded and built garage. Knowing that this eyesore was built with public money, well, it’s a disgrace. $30 million would buy at least 25 buses to add service for the residents of Santa Monica. Of course lots more people drive than take buses; does that mean that they deserve more services?

The U.S. Green Building Council should simply not allow parking garages to get LEED certification; it contradicts everything they purport to stand for.

By: Gizler

Gizler — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:34:02 +0000

I can’t believe they spent $30 million on a parking garage.

By: New Math

New Math — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:21:10 +0000

“America is blowing green smoke up its own ass”

Nominee for quote of the year. Boy is Kunstler cranky and nutty, but often right.